Operational matters not my responsibility: Cameron

Mr Cameron is the first government minister to testify at the Royal Commission.

Victoria's Emergency Services Minister, Bob Cameron, has told the Bushfires Royal Commission, he did not get involved in operational matters on Black Saturday.

He said he spent most of the day in Bendigo, in central Victoria, having been given assurances Victoria Police was co-ordinating the response to the disaster.

Mr Cameron also holds the role of co-ordinator in chief under the state's emergency management protocols.

But he says there may be a need for legislative change, to clarify his position.

"You might be better off to do away with coordinator in chief, because it gives some operational impression, which the act is not predicated on."

He has told the commission his role on the day was one of "political interface."

"The co-ordination is done by Victoria Police during a period of response. I'm not an operational person," he said.

"Victoria Police is the operational agency that does co-ordination during the course of an emergency."

Jack Rush, QC, counsel for the commission said three senior police officers, including the chief commissioner, Christine Nixon had gone home, in the crucial hours between 6:00pm and 9:00 as the disaster was unfolding.

"In essence [it] is unacceptable having regard for what was known as the critical situation at 6:00pm," he said.

Mr Cameron said it was unwise of Ms Nixon to leave but that she had a structure in place to deal with the crisis.

He also told the commission he did not speak to either of Victoria's two fire chiefs on February 7th because he did not want to be a hindrance

"To be there earlier would be to be interfering in the response phase. And that is inappropriate," he said.

"That is something that ministers don't do. You know the legislation is predicated on that basis."

Mr Cameron said his focus had been on the next day.

"I went to the IECC to make an assessment about what had occurred, what communities were affected and what arrangements would have to be put in place, and I would have to organise that at a government level," he said.

"The time to do that was late in the day when we know what's happened."

Mr Cameron told the hearing he arrived back in Melbourne at around 8:00pm.

The Premier, John Brumby, says Mr Cameron has his full support.

"In terms of the preparation, all of the meetings, all of the coordination, the emergency services agencies, I couldn't have asked for more from Minister Cameron," he said.